A Rough Christmas Eve In More Ways Than One
by vickir
Summary: A rough Christmas Eve for Scott. Written for Christmas challenge for TIWF.


Authors note: This was a story written for the first Christmas challenge for TIWF. Normal disclaimer applies don't own any of the characters but wish I did especially Scott. Enjoy and Merry Christmas everyone.

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A Rough Christmas Eve In More Ways Than One

It was the night before Christmas but it was the last thing he cared about right now as he waited to hear from his brother Virgil to see if he had gotten through to the ten people trapped in the cellar of the factory that was blazing away. His other brother Gordon was operating Firefly in trying to contain the blaze.

The minutes seemed to pass way too slowly for Scott as he waited to hear from Virgil in the Mole.

'Mole to Mobile Control' finally the long awaited communication from Virgil came.

'Mobile Control to Mole, how's it going Virgil?' Scott asked.

'Finally there Scott I'm going to check things out now' Virgil replied.

'Be careful, Gordon says the whole factory could collapse anytime' Scott told him.

'Be as quick as I can' Virgil said.

'FAB' Scott said and signed off hoping Virgil would be as quick as possible as he said.

Scott hated the waiting especially when his brothers were right in the line of fire, so to speak. It wasn't the first time he had to wait while his brothers did the actual rescue; he wasn't use to feeling helpless. He hated feeling that; he would help in rescues when the need arose, especially as he was always the first to arrive to access the situation.

'Firefly to Mobile Control' Gordon's voice came over the radio.

Scott was brought out of his thoughts by Gordon's call.

'Mobile Control, go ahead Gordon' Scott answered.

'The factory is starting to collapse Scott. I can't do anything else'.

'Move to a safe distance and then do what you can after it finishes collapsing' Scott told Gordon.

'FAB' Gordon replied.

'Mobile Control to Mole' Scott called over the radio.

No answer.

'Mobile Control to Mole' Scott called again.

Still there was no answer.

'Mobile Control to Mole; Virgil, please answer' Scott called over the radio for the third time.

No answer again, but just when Scott thought the worse.

'Mole to Mobile Control' Virgil's voice came.

'Virgil have you got the people?' Scott asked.

'Yes, we're already on our way out' Virgil told Scott.

'Good as the factory has finally collapsed'.

'Will be on the surface in 2 minutes; will need the paramedics to attend' Virgil told Scott.'

'FAB'

Scott breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Virgil had gotten out before the factory collapsed.

'Firefly to Mobile Control' Gordon called.

'Go ahead Gordon' Scott answered.

'Can't do anything else here; the local fire service can deal now' Gordon told Scott.

'FAB, pack up then' Scott told him.

'FAB' Gordon replied.

'Mole to Mobile Control' came over the radio.

'Go ahead Virgil'.

'All the people rescued have been taken care of and I'm heading back to the pod now'.

'FAB will contact Base to inform them' Scott told him.

'FAB' Virgil answered.

'Mobile Control to International Rescue Base' Scott called. Normally he would call Thunderbird 5, the space station stationed above the Earth, but with John at home for Christmas it was on automatic for the few days he would be down with the family to celebrate the holiday.

'International Rescue Base to Mobile Control, go ahead son' Jeff Tracy said in his baritone voice.

'Dad the factory has collapsed but Virgil was able to get what people were trapped in the cellar out in time' Scott said.

'Good to hear son'.

'Virgil and Gordon are just packing up; the locals can now take care of what's left, and the clean-up' Scott told his father.

'Fine if you're not needed anymore head home'.

'FAB' Scott answered.

Scott closed the channel down sighed and headed over to check with the Fire Chief and the Police Coordinator to see if everything was all right and if they could handle the situation themselves now. Getting the all clear from them and their thanks for International Rescue's help Scott went back to Mobile Control and started to pack up. Once he had stored his equipment away he entered his 'bird' to head on home.

Once he was strapped in and ready to go he contacted his brothers to see how they were going.

'Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two'.

'Thunderbird Two here, go ahead Scott' came Virgil's voice over the radio.

'All clear with the locals they can now handle the rest and clean-up' Scott told Virgil.

'That's good to hear' Virgil said.

'How long before you're ready to head home?' Scott asked.

'Almost there now, just waiting for Gordon to come up from the pod before we head off' Virgil said.

'Good, I'm off then see you at home' Scott said.

'FAB will contact you once we're in the air'.

'FAB' Scott acknowledged and closed the channel down.

Scott started the engines to Thunderbird One and then hit the thrusters to start to lift off into the sky. Once he reached the safe height of two thousand five hundred feet he plotted his course that would take him back home to Tracy Island, the home of International Rescue.

As Scott headed back home, he thought about the rescue they had finished. The call had come in early in the morning on the Island so they all knew that most of Christmas Eve would be spent on a rescue, but they had no idea exactly how long that would end up being.

The rescue had been sixteen long hours with the last two hours the hardest and worse of it. That was because they only found out that ten people were missing and possibly in the cellar that was under the factory, which no one had bothered to check or even attempt to check only remembering about it when the people were reported missing. It was almost too late with the fire getting to the stage that no one even in the cellar would survive once the factory collapsed. The people seemed to have been lucky as when the power was cut due to the fire they had been stuck and couldn't get out via the elevator which ran on the same power source as the whole entire factory, which was the only way in or out; there was no stairway. If they had tried to go up by the elevator they wouldn't have survived due to the fierceness of the fire, they wouldn't have been able to escape.

When Scott had been informed about the trapped people, he dreaded the thought that International Rescue would for the first time fail in getting everyone to safety. He had pushed that thought aside and went about getting the people out and to do what was needed to be done to do that. He got Virgil to get the Mole out ready to dig down to the cellar once plans had been made available. Most of the fire had been dealt with between Virgil and Gordon, but there had been some tense moments as they removed some very volatile chemicals not to mention the atom rods that were the main power source to the main laboratory in the factory. All other sections ran on standard electricity including the cellar.

From the start of the rescue Scott helped as much as he could, giving his brothers breaks when they needed it. All in all between the three of them they did pretty well. At one stage, all three were working to control the fire with Scott in the Fire Truck, Gordon in the Fire Tender and Virgil in the Firefly. The factory was huge, and all three had been needed at one time when things were at their worst. As things eased, Scott handed control back to his brothers and went back to Mobile Control.

It wasn't long after Scott had returned to Mobile Control and had checked things were going as they should that he received a report that ten people were missing and possibly in the cellar of the factory. Alerting his brothers they went into action and luckily they were able to get everyone to safety. But it had been a close call one that shouldn't have happened if the locals had told them earlier of the missing staff.

Scott was brought out of his thoughts of the rescue as his radio came to life.

'Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One, Scott' Virgil's voice came over the radio.

'Virgil, are you on your way?' Scott asked.

'Yeah, just leaving now ETA to Base two hours' Virgil said.

'Ok Virgil, see you when you get there' Scott answered.

'FAB' Virgil answered.

Scott was almost home when he contacted his father again.

'Thunderbird One to Base' Scott called.

'Go ahead son' Jeff Tracy said.

'Will be arriving in five minutes' Scott told his father.

'Good to have you back son'.

'Virgil and Gordon will be arriving in one and half-hours' Scott told his father.

'Yes I know they've been in contact already. You have permission to land when ready' Jeff said.

'FAB' Scott said.

Landing in the launch bay under the pool Thunderbird One slowly climbed up the ramp to its hanger where it waited for Scott to take her out on a rescue mission. Scott did the required shut down procedure as he always did upon returning home; after that was finished he was ready to leave his 'bird'. The retractable walkway came out and met up with the doorway. Scott stepped onto it, and it moved to the entrance to the hanger. Once there he turned, so his back was against the wall; he then put his hands up to the lamp brackets; this activated the swinging mechanism, and it turned around and he was in the lounge of Tracy villa.

'Scott good to have you back' Jeff greeted his son.

'It's good to be back, Dad' Scott said.

'You look exhausted' his father commented.

'I am' Scott answered.

'Go have a shower and get some sleep' Jeff told Scott.

'I just might do that' Scott said and headed to his room.

Once in his own room Scott stripped out of his uniform which was covered with remains from the fire they had fought. Getting under the warm water, he breathed a sigh of relief as the water cascaded down from his hair to flow over his body. After washing his hair with shampoo and then his body he towelled off and dressed not into his pj bottoms that he usually wore to bed but a t-shirt and jeans. He then went back out to the lounge.

'Didn't think you'd go to bed' Jeff Tracy said upon seeing Scott walk into the lounge.

'No, I'll wait for the others to arrive back' Scott said.

'Won't be for another hour' his father told him.

'I know' Scott answered.

'Here' Jeff said as he handed Scott a glass.

'Eggnog' Scott said.

'Of course, what else on Christmas Eve' Jeff said.

'Thanks Dad. Didn't think I would get to have any this time' Scott said to his father.

'You did well, you all did' Jeff said.

'Thanks. Why don't you go to bed Dad, I'll wait for them' Scott said to his father.

'You know I always wait till all you boys are back' Jeff said.

'I know but you look tired and I can wait just as well as you' Scott said.

'All right son' Jeff said and started to head off to bed. Just as he was at the doorway, he turned back to Scott and said 'Merry Christmas son'.

'Merry Christmas Dad' Scott returned.

Just over an hour later Virgil and Gordon arrived back.

'Scott where's Dad?' Virgil asked not seeing his father who usually met them after a mission.

'In bed' Scott answered.

'Is he sick?' Virgil asked worried.

'No, just tired' Scott answered.

'How did you get him to go to bed? Threaten him' Gordon asked.

'No, he just agreed' Scott just said.

Both Virgil and Gordon just shook their heads not believing it. Their father always waited for all of them to return from rescues no matter what time of the day or night.

Scott had wondered about why his Dad had agreed so easily himself, but put it down to being Christmas.

'Here guys' Scott said as he handed his brothers each a glass of eggnog.

'Eggnog' Gordon said.

'Yes Gordon eggnog'.

'I thought we missed out this year' Gordon said knowing they usually would have a glass of eggnog with their father on Christmas Eve whether there was a rescue or not.

'Technically you did, it's after midnight' Scott said.

'That sucks' Gordon said.

'But somewhere it's still Christmas Eve' Scott said.

'You're right Scott, somewhere in the world it's still Christmas Eve' Virgil agreed.

'Here's to Christmas' Scott said raising his own glass.

Virgil and Gordon raised theirs to Scott's.

'Merry Christmas guys' Scott said.

'Merry Christmas Scott' Virgil and Gordon said together.

All three glasses came clicking together before they all drank up their eggnog.

'Now get to bed guys you need it' Scott said trying to sound stern.

'What about you?' Virgil asked.

'I'll just be a minute, and I'll be going to bed as well' Scott told him.

Virgil and Gordon nodded at that and headed off to bed once they both had a shower to clean themselves up. Just before Virgil left the lounge he turned back to see Scott heading out to the patio. He knew his brother was hurting, but he couldn't do anything to help. Virgil waited to see if Scott was all right before heading off to bed.

Scott stood on the patio with what was left of his eggnog staring out at the ocean. It was always the same at Christmas, but it was Christmas Eve he always dreaded now. It had been two years ago on Christmas Eve that she had left him before International Rescue officially started. He knew that she had probably moved on and found someone else, even though he hadn't not that he could now but it still hurt. He still loved her with all his heart, and Christmas was always hard on him since then. She said she couldn't live with the knowledge he wouldn't be around anymore and that he wasn't willing to tell her why. She said he didn't trust her and trust was an important part of any relationship, and if there was no trust then there was no relationship. She was right, but he wished she wasn't. He still wanted to be able to see her, but she refused and so she left him on Christmas Eve. No one in his family knew about her only Virgil as they had always been close, not even his father knew about her, not that he believed though he probably did, and that's probably why he let Scott wait for the others to get back.

'Merry Christmas my love wherever you are' Scott toasted and drank the last of his eggnog.

Hearing Scott toast his lost love Virgil sighed and headed off to bed leaving him alone with his thoughts knowing he would turn in soon. Virgil had made it his duty since that Christmas to make sure Scott had a good time and since then he always tried to do so. He would do it again this year, and every year after till his brother finally either moved on or forgot. He hoped that he would find someone new one day that he could tell them about what they did and not hide it.

Scott sighed and went back into the lounge. He was tired, so he headed to his bed after securing everything. Once back in his room he went to his desk and opened the drawer removing the photo of himself and a woman. Sighing he placed it back in and closed the drawer and crawled into bed. As he fell asleep his thoughts were of what could have been and maybe one day they would.

'Merry Christmas my love, Merry Christmas' Scott whispered as he finally fell asleep at last.


End file.
